Then with the day the caravan made the rest of the trip to Bear Island. Within a week they arrived at the edge of the bay of ice near Deepwood Motte. They stopped there only for a day having a brief meeting with the Lords of house Glover, as well as the Lord of House Forrester. These interactions were brief as they only stopped to wait long enough for the ship to be ready. The voyage at sea was a very amazing experience for John. He found what most men and young boys did at sea and it was a deep love for it. He loved the sea, but this was the first-time sailing upon it. He had always watched it from the shores around Stonehelm, but his father had forbidden him from leaving the castle at all so he was forced to live in a cage. It took them a few days at sea to reach Bear Island. When they reached it, the caravan disembarked in the port nearest to the keep. They traveled on horseback once more up the hill to the top where the holdfast of house Mormont stood. John was stunned as he saw the holdfast. For what it was the holdfast was quite large one of the largest he could see. It was only half the size of Stonehelm, but with the fact that it was made of wood, clay, mud and very little stone with an earthen and wooden palisade around it; made it impressive to John.
They made their way through the gates and into the courtyard there waiting for them were three people. Two women and a young man. Alysane stopped her horse and climbed down with a quick movement "Hello Mother! Hello cousins! I bring you John Storm my new squire!"
John climbed down from his horse as he bowed to them. The man spoke first "Welcome I am Ser Jorah Mormont Lord of Bear Island. This is my wife Lynesse Hightower." he said motioning to a woman who was very fair, but looked extremely out of place. Far too soft and fragile looking to be in the north, or the Stormlands for that matter. So, John assumed she was from the reach. Jorah continued on "And this is my Aunt Maege Mormont, The she-bear. You are welcome here John Storm." he said with a warm but strong voice. John looked at them all in turn. He noticed the distaste and possibly disgust that was inside of Lady Hightower's eyes. Still he bowed his head to them "I thank you for bringing me here. I hope to one day repay your kindness." Maege laughed as she clapped the boy on his back "Well you'll make a fine man to be sure!" she then left the yard with Jorah and his wife following her. As Jorah turned however John saw that Jorah was wearing a bastard sword. The pommel of the blade was carved stone in the shape of a bear. He wasn't sure what the blade was, but he knew that he wanted a blade that looked half so fine as that.
At that point Mara smacked the back of his head to get his attention "Come on let's go!" the two then set off into the holdfast. The next three years John spent his time training to fight in the Rebellion of Balon Greyjoy that was raging throughout the seven kingdoms. John spent his days split between learning the art of Warcraft, and being taught in the rest of the world's workings by Maester Rorok (Roar-Oak). John loved history, Lineage, he even had the Maester tell him tales of Skinchangers, Wargs, the children of the forest, and other such tales. He was taught in medicine and war strategy as well. John learned as much and more Maester Rorok even told him that if he ever wanted to be a Maester he would sponsor him at the citadel. John hadn't thought much into it, but he was enjoying his lessons. He was also learning how to master the bow, and sword and dagger. Mara was now hard-pressed to keep up with him strike for strike and blow for blow when he was wielding them. Still despite the better fight he was now providing Mara was still very much his better in martial skill, but she wasn't much for thinking.
Three years passed as he did this and slowly John became a young man worthy of noble blood. The Iron Islands had now gained momentum and their rebellion was now in full swing and at its tipping point really. John had heard it when he was coming up, but the Stormlands hadn't sent many forces to aid in the fight against it. Their forces were being led by Stannis Baratheon on ships to go around the south and attack that way. Bear Island was the main point they wanted to conquer as it was a great striking point and so everyone on Bear Island old enough to hold a bow was being prepared for war.
The call was sounded throughout all of bear island when the first of the long-ships sounded. House Mormont's small army made up of the few hundred men who lived on the island were ready, armed, and mobilized to the few landing points that were available. The biggest and wisest landing point was given the second largest number of soldiers of the entire army to guard it. 100 archers and a dozen catapults to rain down from the cliffs overlooking the shore and the sea, and three hundred for the vanguard. The Holdfast was guarded with only 200 men as it was the most well defended, and easiest to keep in hand. The other 200 men and women that made up the army were scattered at the other landing points with fast horses and riders to warn if too large a force was going to get through. John and Mara stood together on the battlements that were the cliffs looking down at both sea and shore watching the long-ships approaching them.
Mara looked down at the shoreline where the Vanguard was awaiting the arrival of their opponents. She looked down at them with envy wanting to be down there with the rest of them instead of commanding the archers and siege weapons. She was young, but she was still a Mormont and as such she had been given a command suited to her name. She sighed as she looked back at the sea "I hope those squid fuckers set foot up here. I'll cut them to bloody pieces."
John smiled as he looked at his friend "They are running in absolute terror I'm sure. All fear the Snow-Bear of House Mormont a petite little girl with no breasts, or height to speak of."
Mara punched John in the shoulder as hard as she could, but like all the times before he showed no sign of pain or that he really felt the blow other than the sway of his body. It had been that way for years now, and no one was sure why John was immune to pain. He felt things like everyone else true, but pain was something he never felt. As she glanced back over the bay she gripped her axe tighter in hand "This is what we have been trained for."
John shook his head with a sigh as he notched his first arrow "You are never truly trained for the moment you are forced to take someone's life."
She looked at John with wide eyes full of shock "You have spent too much time with Maester Rorok." as she moved her gaze once more to the water the first of the long-ships were in range.